Chances are if you’re reading this, either you’re feeling depressed or know someone who is. If it’s the first one, you’re not alone. If it’s the second one, you’re a person for trying to help, thank you. Before we get going, here are two important things to remember about depression:
Depression is really common. About 8.4% of adults in the U.S., actually [1]. That’s 21 million people! You really aren’t alone even though it can feel like that sometimes.
Depression sucks. Seriously, it’s awful and feels impossible to deal with. Research has found up to 102 different genetic types of depression [7]. The way that it sucks for you is unique, so finding what works for you is important to fight back.
8 Creative Ways to Deal with Depression
1. EXERCISE
Moving is good for your body and your mind. A lot of research [2] by some pretty smart people tells us that moderate to vigorous exercise helps alleviate depression symptoms and can even protect against future depressive episodes. Evidence suggests that trainer-led aerobic exercise, specifically, is even more helpful than doing other stuff on your own, but any exercise is a great idea!
2. SET SMALL GOALS
Everything is hard when you’re depressed, so don’t try and do everything! Instead, set little goals and accomplish little things. Instead of cleaning the house top to bottom, start by cleaning up the table. Boom! You did a thing. You got a win. Look at that sweet, sweet accomplishment!
Big things are made up of small things, so start small and rack up those little wins every day. They’ll add up to something big over time, but you don’t need to think big right now.
3. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Specifically happier music that you enjoy. Music touches a part of the human condition that is hard to define, but the emotions in the music tend to transfer to the listener is a measurable way. [6] Listening to something angry and angst isn’t a good choice, but something more happy and calm is. There is a growing body of evidence that music therapy is just plain good for you!
4. BE CONTRARY
Not with me, with your depression! The depression voice might be telling you that doing stuff or going places won’t be fun or exciting or worth the effort. But, are you gonna let some weird voice in your head that sounds like an Eeyore version of you tell you what to do? Nope! Go do the thing anyway, because even if it isn’t that exciting, it’s better than sitting at home doing literally nothing while Eeyore-you complains about, I don’t know, dryer lint or something.
5. GO OUTSIDE AND GET SOME NATURE
Evidence is starting to show us that being outside in nature is good for us both physically and mentally [8]. An example is going for a walk in a natural environment like a hiking trail if you have one nearby, or you could spend time in a park. Not only is being in a “green space” good for treating depression, it also seems to help protect you from developing symptoms to begin with! [9]
6. KEEP A JOURNAL
There is a surprising amount of therapeutic power in just…writing things down. A daily journal is a great way to get out the thoughts, feelings, and experiences that are making you feel like crap. An even better use, though, is using it as a time to review the positive things that make you feel better! Depression is dwelling on the negative, so the opposite is intentionally dwelling on the positive. This is a research-backed practice [10] (seeing a trend, here?).
On journaling days, answer one of these prompts:
- Today I am grateful for _____, _____, etc.
- The best compliment I’ve ever gotten is _____ and it made me feel good because _____
- What went well today? What was important about those things?
- What strengths did you use today? What did you accomplish with them?
- What good thing did you do for someone else?
- What good thing did someone else do for you?
- How did you think differently about something that was bothering you?
Positive Journaling Rules:
- Journal at least 3 days per week, 15 minutes per day
- Always be positive
- Tell a complete story (150-250 words with beginning, middle, & end)
- Talk about today
7. PUPPIES!
Or kittens or whatever animal you love the most. Pet them, play with them, talk to them like they’re babies, or whatever positive interaction you get the chance to have. Whether you’re elderly in a nursing home [3], dealing with stress in college [4], or lying in the hospital for treatment [5], studies show that animal-assisted therapy lessens depressive symptoms. Fur babies make you feel better!
8. MINDFULNESS IS AWESOME, FOR REAL!
There is already a large body of evidence suggesting that mindfulness is a powerful weapon against mental health problems including depression [11]; anxiety [11]; and, a whole bunch of other stuff like chronic pain, substance abuse, and trauma [13]. Okay, yay science, but what are you supposed to actually do to get these sweet, sweet clinically significant benefits? Great question! Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic [14]:
Some unstructured options are…
- Paying attention to the things around you more directly. Slow down and use your senses to really experience what’s going on. For example: when you eat your favorite food, take the time to touch, smell, taste, and feel your feelings about eating it.
- Be intentionally accepting and open. Go into a situation with the active goal of accepting and experiencing it for what it is, and how your Sad Brain wants to pre-judge it.
- Accept yourself, while we’re at it! Treat yourself like you would a best friend you care about.
- Breathe. Just breathe in, breathe out, and focus on the breath. Take a minute and let your parasympathetic nervous system chill out a little.
And there are some meditation options with more structure you can use, too!
- Body scan meditation. Lie down and intentionally focus your attention on each part of your body. Start at your toes and move up, or at your head and move down, whichever feels more natural. Aim to be aware of sensations, thoughts, and feelings for each part.
- Sitting meditation. Find a position where you sit comfortably with good posture, hands in your lap. Focus on your breathing. If you get interrupted, experience the interruption and then let it go. Focus on your breath again.
- Walking meditation. Not everyone can meditate when sitting, and that’s okay! Find a calm space where you can walk uninterrupted and without a ton of stimulation. A looping nature path is nice for this. Focus on the sensation of walking, taking steps, your muscles moving, and keeping your balance.
Don’t try to force these; just let them happen. The body scan might take 5-10 minutes normally, but if you find a certain part of you is really interesting, it could go longer. Sitting meditation can be hard the first few (dozen) times because you get distracted. Aim for 5 minutes and then go from there. Lastly, walking meditation is one of the easier options because it’s literally walking in a circle and paying attention to your feelings. Starting at about 10 minutes is a good goal.
Summary
There are a lot of ways to deal with your depression. Finding the ways that work best for you is one great step on the road to recovery and prevention. Often, a combination approach works best, so try things from this list, add things you know you usually enjoy, and kick depression in the metaphorical teeth!
It’s not always easy to do alone, though, so if you need some help talking things out, making a plan, and following through on getting better, make an appointment with one of our highly skilled and experienced therapists at Village Counseling.
References
[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26978184/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30221438/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34957457/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32402314/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5500733/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30718901/
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33946197/
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34574611/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30530460/
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29080597/
[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31083878/